is considering a proposal to create a European humanitarian visa, a mechanism that will allow eligible asylum seekers safe passage to Europe. The move is intended to provide a much-needed alternative to a risky journey across the Mediterranean Sea, which has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people in the past year alone.

The European Parliament has asked the European Commission to present legislation by March 31, 2019, and so harmonize the E.U. framework for protected entry. Protected entry is a process under which would-be asylum seekers may apply for a special visa at an embassy or consulate abroad, allowing them to enter that particular state for the purpose of claiming protection.

The European Parliament believes these humanitarian visas will help to reduce the ...

]]>Where do Democrats stand on slavery reparations?https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/where-do-democrats-stand-on-slavery-reparations/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/where-do-democrats-stand-on-slavery-reparations/Wed, 20 Mar 2019 23:48:57 GMTSince the devastating outcome of the 2016 presidential elections, it’s become crystal clear that tepid centrist rhetoric will no longer suffice to rile up the American public behind political candidates. The fall of the Clinton Dynasty and the conquest of the Republican Party (and the White House) by an eccentric reality-TV star have signaled to Democrats that if they want to reclaim their spot at the helm they must run bolder and braver campaigns.

Indeed, virtually all of the many (many!) Democrats who announced their presidential bid so far have made bombastic policy proposals, such as instituting a single-payer healthcare system and abolishing of the electoral college—ideas that in the not-so-distant past would’ve been deemed unspeakably controversial.

One of the proposals that ...

]]>Senegambian Vibeshttps://www.fairplanet.org/story/senegambian-vibes/https://www.fairplanet.org/story/senegambian-vibes/Wed, 20 Mar 2019 22:55:48 GMTThe region of Senegal and Gambia – also known as Senegambia due to the common colonial past, but also due to the connection the people of both countries still feel today – is home to an exceptionally vibrant music scene. One of their most influencial genres is kora music.

A kora is a 21 string Mandinka harp deeply rooted in West African culture. It‘s built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck.

One of the rising stars in kora music is Dawda Jobarteh from the Gambia. FAIRPLANET had a word with him about his new album and his evolution as a kora player.

FAIRPLANET: Dawda, your 3rd album is out now. It‘s called „I met her by the river“. Who was it that you met by the river?

Dawda Jobarteh: Imagine sitting by the ...

]]>Scientists for Future back Youth 4 Climate’s strike in recent petitionhttps://www.fairplanet.org/support/scientists-back-youth-4-climates-strike-in-recent-petition/https://www.fairplanet.org/support/scientists-back-youth-4-climates-strike-in-recent-petition/Wed, 20 Mar 2019 10:00:28 GMTBack in August 2018, Greta Thunberg, 16, began skipping school every Friday and sat outside the Swedish Parliament in protest against their failure to address climate change issues and curb emissions.

Since then, Thunberg’s tenacity has inspired countless youths from across the globe to unite under the Youth 4 Climate movement. Last Friday, students from more than 90 countries and 1,200 cities staged a globally coordinated strike and took to the streets to demand action on climate change.

Recognizing that some public figures have criticized the kids for lacking scientific knowledge to justify their action, a group of German-speaking scientists launched a petition titled Scientists for Future in support of Youth 4 Climate.

In their petition, the scientists announce, “As scientists and ...

]]>Join SERI in the fight to protect civil and socio-economic rights in South Africahttps://www.fairplanet.org/support/join-seri-in-the-fight-to-protect-civil-and-socio-economic-rights-in-south-africa/https://www.fairplanet.org/support/join-seri-in-the-fight-to-protect-civil-and-socio-economic-rights-in-south-africa/Tue, 19 Mar 2019 19:01:35 GMTDespite having the most progressive constitution in the African continent, South Africa still grapples with rampant poverty and human rights violations—ranging from gender based violence to limited access to education.

As the country mentions its human rights month, in commemoration of the struggle for democracy, special attention is placed on the vast inequalities still prevalent in South Africa and on the methods in which they can be tackled.

Founded in 2009, the organization engages in expansive litigation, research, and advocacy efforts in order to advance and defend ...

]]>Terror­ist groups are moving to niche chat platforms for communic­a­tionhttps://www.fairplanet.org/story/terrorist-groups-are-moving-to-niche-chat-platforms-for-communication/https://www.fairplanet.org/story/terrorist-groups-are-moving-to-niche-chat-platforms-for-communication/Tue, 19 Mar 2019 03:14:45 GMTWhile mega-mammoth social media giants, such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter are effectively cracking down on terrorist activity on their networks, less popular chat apps are having a harder time immunising their platforms against terrorists.

In a Wired op. ed., executive Director and founder of SITE Intelligence Group Rita Katz expounded on ISIS’ most recent attempt to establish an online presence in order to spike up recruitment and facilitate communication following its significant territory losses in Syria and Iraq last year. According to Katz, the terrorist group has resorted to using encrypted messenger apps primarily intended for businesses and gamers after numerous failed attempts to launch web pages on sites like Tumblr and WordPress. The fairly new apps, Katz argues, have ...

]]>Human rights month in SA: the long walk to freedomhttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/human-rights-month-in-sa-the-long-walk-to-freedom/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/human-rights-month-in-sa-the-long-walk-to-freedom/Mon, 18 Mar 2019 04:12:36 GMTEven with the most progressive constitutions across Africa that has ring fenced protection of fundamental human rights, mounting dissent and waning public confidence in the government by a bulk of South Africans point to a worrying trend where disrespect for the rule of law, police brutality, corruption and human rights violations have become commonplace.

And as the country marks the human rights month, to commemorate the sacrifices and struggles that paved way for democracy, revelations by the South African Human Rights Commission that violations are at their worst in the 25 years the country has enjoyed democracy is worrying, coming from a country that has positioned itself as the bastion of civil liberties.

Last year over 600,000 disabled children could not access education, a basic ...

]]>The Christchurch carnage and our illusion with terrorismhttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/the-christchurch-carnage-and-our-illusion-with-terrorism/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/the-christchurch-carnage-and-our-illusion-with-terrorism/Sun, 17 Mar 2019 23:32:23 GMTThe gruesome terrorist attack on innocent worshipers in Christchurch of all places – presumably among the safest places on earth – shall not go down in history as an isolated criminal offence by some detached individuals.

The imagination of a diverse gathering of New Zealand citizens and immigrants gathered in a prayer hall sprayed upon bullets from behind can shiver any sane person. It sends across the feeling of fear all over the world, leaving the population to feel absolutely frightened everywhere, every time.

It is a moment for grief for all, terrorism has no boundaries. It is utterly heartbreaking to think how a human thinks of conceiving such an inhuman task – regardless of the motives. There should be no illusions, this was a brazen act of terrorism.

It is in such ...

]]>DO NOT LOOK AWAY. REFLECT: THE QUEER GENOCIDE IN CHECHNYAhttps://www.fairplanet.org/op-ed/do-not-look-away-reflect-the-queer-genocide-in-chechnya/https://www.fairplanet.org/op-ed/do-not-look-away-reflect-the-queer-genocide-in-chechnya/Sat, 16 Mar 2019 02:48:00 GMTChechnya, a tiny republic in southern Russia, has become the epitome of fear, hatred, xenophobia, and new era of genocide; namely, a queer genocide. The reports presented by the Human Rights organizations1 contain jaw-dropping details— ones that bear chilling similarities to the Nazis concentration camps.

We gradually learn more about the humiliation, electrocution, starvation, rape, and severe beatings that LGBTQI individuals endure at the hands of Chechen officials, and of the diabolic plan of Chechnya’s leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, to eliminate the “sin” from the Republic by encouraging “honor killings”.

Since April 2017, over 200 victims of the LGBTQI purge in Chechnya have been rescued by the Russian LGBT Network2 and safely transferred to some European countries and ...

]]>47 years after "Bloody Sunday", the chance for some justicehttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/47-years-after-bloody-sunday-the-chance-for-some-justice/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/47-years-after-bloody-sunday-the-chance-for-some-justice/Fri, 15 Mar 2019 22:03:13 GMTInstantly infamous, the „Bloody Sunday“ killings by British soldiers of Northern Irish protestors changed British politics forever. They provided a framework of motivation and justification for the IRA and anti-British politicians in the 70s and 80s. They were considered as a part of a long line of British colonial atrocity, which includes the Amritsar Massacre and the cover-ups in Kenya.

With the enquiry that followed, protecting British soldiers, Bloody Sunday deeply affected the public’s trust in the British government. So much so, that in 1998, during the Good Friday talks, Tony Blair ordered a renewal of the public inquiry into the killings – a process that is only now bearing fruit.

In 1972, Northern Irish protesters were marching against internment. 28 of them were shot by ...

]]>Labour Unions pose another hurdle to Green New Dealhttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/labor-unions-pose-another-hurdle-to-green-new-deal/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/labor-unions-pose-another-hurdle-to-green-new-deal/Thu, 14 Mar 2019 22:47:52 GMTProponents of the Green New Deal— a non-binding resolution seeking to completely transition the U.S. economy to renewable energy while simultaneously promoting social justice and income equality—have been facing resistance from a new front: labour unions.

Evidently, it isn’t only Congress members and Senators that waver in their willingness to get behind the Deal, but also representatives of the very people the resolution seeks to uplift—American workers. As of last week, only one major labour union has thrown its support behind the initiative, whereas the rest have either chosen to remain silent or openly criticize the Deal and its objectives.

32BJ, an East Coast-based union representing over 160,000 door attendants, cleaners, and security workers, has thus far been the only ...

]]>Why the world should pay more attention to the UN Environment Assemblyhttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/why-the-world-should-pay-more-attention-to-the-un-environment-assembly/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/why-the-world-should-pay-more-attention-to-the-un-environment-assembly/Wed, 13 Mar 2019 16:10:39 GMTThe global chemical industry continues to dominate virtually every sphere of our lives now more than ever, with humanity’s reliance on the industry reaching unprecedented levels, a UN report dubbed Global Chemicals Outlook II has revealed.

The global industry – estimated to have exceeded $5 trillion in 2017 – will double in size by 2030, the report further notes in what could portend serious health and environmental risks. While chemicals continue to provide potent solutions to key threats such as tackling pests, the risks in using them continue to pose major threats to global populations.

The burden of disease from the industry was estimated to be 1.6 million lives in 2016 according to the World Health Organisation, a figure which has been said to be an underestimate. Add the ...

]]>A small donation can help save lives of LGBTQ people in Chechnyahttps://www.fairplanet.org/support/a-small-donation-can-help-save-lives-of-lgbtq-people-in-chechnya/https://www.fairplanet.org/support/a-small-donation-can-help-save-lives-of-lgbtq-people-in-chechnya/Wed, 13 Mar 2019 01:27:47 GMTNews about the purge of queers in Chechnya began to circulate, as more testimonies emerged from the southern Russian territory run by the tyrannical religious zealot Ramzan Kadyrov.

Since December 2018, a new wave of anti-queer purges began in Chechnya, with mounting reports about kidnap, imprisonment, torture, and even murder of individuals suspected to be LGBTQ.

The Russian LGBT Network is s non-governmental organization operating in Russia and Chechnya to protect the rights and lives of LGBTQ individuals. In addition to relentless advocacy work and the circulation of information aimed at increasing visibility of queer people and public awareness of their plight, the members of the organization operate a secret network of shelters for LGBTQ individuals persecuted across Russia.

They ...

]]>Defend the safety and human rights of Afghan women and childrenhttps://www.fairplanet.org/support/defend-the-safety-and-human-rights-of-afghan-women-and-children/https://www.fairplanet.org/support/defend-the-safety-and-human-rights-of-afghan-women-and-children/Wed, 13 Mar 2019 00:13:29 GMTThe war raging in Afghanistan which often escapes global attention is that of Afghan women, who till this day remain marginalized in virtually all aspects of life.From education to healthcare to employment— Afghan women are often unable to access crucial services and enjoy the full rights of citizenship.

Despite the downfall of the Taliban regime, which control the country in the 1990’s, women in many parts of the country are still subject to arbitrary arrests and punishment (such as public lashings) for violating ‘moral codes’. The government also fails to properly protect women who are subject to domestic violence and abuse.

Since its foundation in 2011, Women for Afghan Women (WAW), has been working to fill in the gaps and support thousands of Afghan women and children in ...

]]>Far-right Italian decree throws future of immigrants into uncertaintyhttps://www.fairplanet.org/story/far-right-italian-decree-throws-future-of-immigrants-into-uncertainty/https://www.fairplanet.org/story/far-right-italian-decree-throws-future-of-immigrants-into-uncertainty/Tue, 12 Mar 2019 14:28:17 GMTThe decree-law, named after the leader of the far-right party ‘La Lega’, Matteo Salvini, concentrates on immigration and security measures and aims to restrict immigrants’ access to the country and limit or even cancel the rights of those already living in Italy.

Main changes include the end of the two-year ‘humanitarian protection’ residency permits, a lower level of asylum status based on Italian law. During the five years before the law came into force, humanitarian protection was the most common ‘status’ awarded among all successful asylum seekers applications (25% of cases), according to the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI).

It will be easier now to strip migrants of Italian citizenship, while residency permits will be awarded under strict ...

]]>Help bring LGBTQ refugees to safety in the Westhttps://www.fairplanet.org/support/help-bring-lgbtq-refugees-to-safety-in-the-west/https://www.fairplanet.org/support/help-bring-lgbtq-refugees-to-safety-in-the-west/Mon, 11 Mar 2019 10:30:23 GMTDespite some improvements occurring in LGBTQ visibility and rights around the world, being LGBTQ is still legallly criminalized in over 70 countries. In 8 of those countries, being LGBTQ or engaging in same-sex sexual activity is punishable by death.

From murderous purges in Chechnya to executions in Saudi Arabia and violent attacks and torture in Africa and the Caribbean- queer people’s lives are still at risk in large swaths of the planet.

Modeled after the monumental Underground Railroad, the Rainbow Railroad (RR) is a nonprofit organization working tirelessly to help LGBTQ people escape persecution in their home countries and bring them to safety in North America and Europe.

Relying on a global network of volunteers and private donations, RR provide support, guidance, and ...

]]>Equality for Afghan womenhttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/equality-for-afghan-women/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/equality-for-afghan-women/Sat, 9 Mar 2019 08:08:37 GMTThe power-sharing tussle among the men dominates the vague Afghan peace process while women – the most vulnerable segment of the war-hit society – remain marginalised on the sidelines.

Away from the war theatre, where most men have been engaged for ages, Afghan women are left to struggle for even longer with the devastating consequences during and after the spell of countless wars. The local media is still receiving heart-breaking visuals of the armed men – often presenting them as moral police – lashing women in public on the directives of their kangaroo courts over shady allegations, mostly levelled by other men.

Among the warring factions, those linked to governing forces do have a nominal symbolic representation of women on the negotiation table, and are pledging to ...

]]>Happy International Women's Dayhttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/happy-international-womens-day/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/happy-international-womens-day/Fri, 8 Mar 2019 23:27:18 GMTMarch 8 is International Women’s Day. Happy day to all women and women-identifying people out there. And much power to you all. As a cishet man, I can only offer solidarity and support, as well as my attempts to understand the various struggles women all over the world face.

From this perspective, I can say I think IWD is a vital and informative day to mark the contributions of women the world over, but one which suffers from the same problems all ‚designated‘ days face. That is, the day itself can unfortunately be cast as a ‚token‘ celebration, rather than a magnifying glass to highlight just how women are mistreated around the world. It is analogous to the problem of Black History Month – good in itself, but still, Black History is not bounded by the arbitrary parameters of a ...

]]>Berliners: raise your voice against racism and in support of tolerancehttps://www.fairplanet.org/support/berliners-raise-your-voice-against-racism-and-in-support-of-tolerance/https://www.fairplanet.org/support/berliners-raise-your-voice-against-racism-and-in-support-of-tolerance/Fri, 8 Mar 2019 10:30:32 GMTAcross the world, far-right elements have penetrated the socio-political discourse— garnering rising support of local populations by touting xenophobic sentiments and a rhetoric of “us” vs. “them”. They inspire hatred and suspicion by capitalizing on people’s most primal fears, prejudices, and insecurities— both financial and cultural.

As a result, oppression of racial minorities, immigrants, refugees, and women has exacerbated dramatically.

The Coalition Berlin is a Berlin-based NGO committed to dispelling racist and hateful sentiments and inspiring tolerance and social-equality.

They do so through a series of events, community actions, and rallies across the German capital.

“We will speak up against injustice and oppression wherever it occurs. We do not accept a world in ...

]]>Support local communities worldwide in their fight for equality and climate justicehttps://www.fairplanet.org/support/support-local-communities-worldwide-in-their-fight-for-equality-and-climate-justice/https://www.fairplanet.org/support/support-local-communities-worldwide-in-their-fight-for-equality-and-climate-justice/Thu, 7 Mar 2019 10:30:33 GMTGrassroots International is an non profit organization working to forge connections between U.S. based groups and communities across the globe in order to help them tackle issues such as poverty and climate change-related disasters.

The organization places its focus on vulnerable communities in locations that range from Brazil to Asia, who deal with various socio-economic hardships and human rights violations and puts them in touch with American organizations and volunteers who can help them advance their causes.

Grassroots international organize rallies, fundraising campaigns, advocacy efforts, and operates a team of volunteers who together help to empower communities around the world in their fight for their right to land, water, and food as well as for climate justice.

Whether ...

]]>VR game seeks to promote racial and gender equalityhttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/vr-game-seeks-to-promote-racial-and-gender-equality/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/vr-game-seeks-to-promote-racial-and-gender-equality/Thu, 7 Mar 2019 03:06:46 GMTThe past year has seen an increase in global mobilization around feminist causes and promotion of women’s rights. Alas, despite some notable victories in courts and legislatures, women across the world remain vulnerable to violence, oppression, discrimination, and violation of their rights – including the right to control their body.

Women of colour in predominantly white societies appear to suffer even more greatly from discrimination, as in addition to prevalent misogyny they have to contend with deep-rooted racial biases that limit their access to opportunities available to white women. In other words, minority women have yet another layer of prejudice they must obliterate in order to achieve genuine equality, whether in education, employment, or visibility on the political ...

]]>The brave path of the Ghanaian fishmongershttps://www.fairplanet.org/story/the-brave-path-of-the-ghanaian-fishmongers/https://www.fairplanet.org/story/the-brave-path-of-the-ghanaian-fishmongers/Thu, 7 Mar 2019 02:41:04 GMTfairplanet caught up with Adiza Owusu, Gender officer of Hen Mpoano, a local NGO based in the Western region of Ghana and lead author of the Gender report on Ghana’s Fisheries, to discuss the challenges confronting these women, called the fishmongers and the benefits being derived.

fairplanet: Working with the fishmongers over years, have you been able to discover something like job security on their part?

Adiza Owusu: That’s a tricky question. You know that our women in fishing are mostly fish processors and depending on what is handed to them by the fishermen. There is a huge decline in the fisheries sector, especially for the artisanal fish. So, the fishmongers sometimes return home with empty pans. Even when they are able to get some fish, it’s often of low quality due to ...

]]>The virtual war over internet control in Yemenhttps://www.fairplanet.org/story/the-virtual-war-over-internet-control-in-yemen/https://www.fairplanet.org/story/the-virtual-war-over-internet-control-in-yemen/Tue, 5 Mar 2019 22:24:45 GMTBut while the majority of headlines revolve around Saudi-led airstrikes and the American involvement in the Yemeni civil war, little attention is attributed to one of the conflict’s most crucial fronts: control of the country’s internet infrastructure by the two main rivaling factions, the Houthi rebels (supported by Iran) and the Hadi government (backed up by Saudi Arabia).

Since assuming control of the capital, Sana’a, in 2015, the Houthis took over the main national internet provider, YemenNet, and over the .ye domain space. Since then, the rebel government has seized control over all other telecom providers in the capital’s region, including TeleYement and MTN Yemen. The internationally recognised Hadi government, now based in the port city of Aden, then resorted to ...

]]>Sign the People vs. Oil petition to end the age of oilhttps://www.fairplanet.org/support/sign-the-people-vs-oil-petition-to-end-the-age-of-oil/https://www.fairplanet.org/support/sign-the-people-vs-oil-petition-to-end-the-age-of-oil/Tue, 5 Mar 2019 21:26:42 GMTThe disastrous effects of the oil industry on our planet are acutely visible.

As stated by the IPCC in their 2018 report, the international community has to drastically reduce emissions by 2030 in order to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. This means divesting from oil and embracing new energy production technology.

Emboldened by a series of court victories against oil giants and successful climate initiatives launched by communities, civilians, nonprofits, and governments from across the globe— Greenpeace seek to step up the game and ensure that oil becomes a feature of the past.

Support Greenpeace by signing their People vs. Oilpetition calling on global leaders to ban all new oil development and extraction, phase out production and sales of oil-operated vehicles, and ...

]]>The gender agendahttps://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/the-gender-agenda/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/the-gender-agenda/Tue, 5 Mar 2019 03:41:39 GMTDespite tremendous gains in addressing gender inequality and women’s rights around the world over the last decade, women continue to struggle in vital areas, including access to finance for their businesses, eliminating the gender pay gap, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, land rights, and inheritance.

In Africa, a continent where women are known to drive entrepreneurship and small businesses that oil the engine of economic growth, financial access has put brakes on their prosperity and further fanned the finance gap between the genders.

“The finance gap between men and women on the continent is estimated at about $22 billion, with almost $6 billion in agriculture alone. So, that gives you an idea of how big the gap is”, said the Director of Gender, Women and Civil ...